United States · United States Congress · 23 July 1986
National Oil Security Act of 1986 - Directs the President to establish a national oil import ceiling level beyond which foreign crude and oil product imports as a share of U.S. oil consumption shall not rise. Prohibits such ceiling level from exceeding 50 percent of U.S. crude and oil product consumption for any annual period. Requires the President to: (1) annually submit projections to the Congress regarding anticipated U.S. oil production, demand, and imports for the subsequent three years; (2) certify whether imports of crude oil and oil products will exceed domestic production; and (3) submit an Energy Production and Oil Security Policy to the Congress to prevent foreign oil dependence from exceeding the national oil import ceiling for any year in which foreign oil imports are projected to exceed such amount. Grants the Congress ten continuous session days to review such oil projections and to determine whether the ceiling level will be violated within three years. Authorizes the President's energy plan to include: (1) an oil import fee; (2) energy conservation actions; (3) expansion of the Strategic Petroleum Reserves; and (4) production incentives for domestic oil and gas.
United States · United States Congress · 17 July 1986
Authorizes the L-5 Society to establish a memorial on Federal land in the District of Columbia or its environs to honor America's astronauts, especially those astronauts who gave their lives in pursuit of knowledge for all mankind. Requires the L-5 Society to select, subject to the approval of the Commission of Fine Arts and the National Capital Planning Commission, the site, design, and plans for the memorial. Terminates the authority to establish the memorial if its construction is not begun within five years with non-Federal funds sufficient to ensure its completion.
United States · United States Congress · 26 June 1986
Driftnet Impact Monitoring, Assessment, and Control Act of 1986 - Amends the Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act to revise provisions concerning the presence of a U.S. observer aboard foreign fishing vessels fishing in a U.S. fishery conservation zone. Provides that the Secretary of Commerce (the Secretary) shall not approve a foreign vessel's fishing permit application where the facilities aboard such vessels are so inadequate that the health, safety, and welfare of an observer on such vessel cannot be assured. Requires the Secretary, through the Secretary of State, to immediately negotiate with foreign governments conducting driftnet fishing operations off the U.S. coast an arrangement for the reliable monitoring and assessment of the number of fish, seabirds, and other marine creatures killed, discarded, or lost by such government's driftnet fishing vessels in waters beyond the jurisdiction of the United States. Prohibits the Secretary from issuing a permit to any foreign vessel whose government does not enter into such a monitoring arrangement within one year after the enactment of this Act. Directs the Secretary, within one year after the enactment of this Act, to report to the Congress on the implementation of such arrangements. Directs the Secretary, within one year after the enactment of this Act and annually thereafter, to report to the Congress on the impact upon living marine resources of all driftnet fisheries off the coasts of the United States. Requires enforcement costs to be taken into consideration when determining fishing permit fees to be charged. Directs the Secretary to implement a net bounty system to pay persons recovering and turning over to the Secretary lost, abandoned, or discarded driftnet or other plastic fishing net material. Requires such payments to be made from the Fishery Vessel and Gear Damage Compensation Fund. Directs the Secretary to develop recommendations to establish a driftnet marking, registry, and identification system to determine the vessel origin of lost, discarded, or abandoned driftnets or driftnet fragments. Directs the Secretary, no later than six months after the enactment of this Act, to report to the Congress concerning such recommendations and their implementation. Establishes a seabird protection zone surrounding the Aleutian Islands off Alaska within which no driftnet fishing is permitted. Directs the Secretary, in cooperation with the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating, to enforce such driftnet fishing prohibition.
United States · United States Congress · 26 June 1986
Commends Eugene Lang for providing disadvantaged young people in inner city schools with the incentive and means to finish high school and attend college. Encourages others to give such young people educational opportunities they do not normally have.
United States · United States Congress · 26 June 1986
Expresses the sense of the Congress that during the official ceremony of the lighting of the torch of the Statue of Liberty, a moment of silence be held for the return of the American captives in Lebanon.
United States · United States Congress · 10 June 1986
Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act - Requires States to provide by law for elections for Federal office: (1) absentee registration and absentee voting for uniformed services voters and overseas voters; and (2) the use of alternative write-in absentee ballots by overseas voters when State absentee ballots are not available. Directs the President to designate the head of an executive department to have primary responsibility for the administrative functions of this Act, including: (1) prescribing an official postcard form containing a voter registration and an absentee ballot application; (2) prescribing an alternative write-in ballot for overseas voters; (3) prescribing forms and designs for balloting materials; (4) distributing election materials; (5) reporting to the Congress in the year immediately following a presidential election year on its effectiveness; and (6) consulting State and local election officials in carrying out this Act. Provides for the distribution of official postcards. Sets forth recommendations to the States in carrying out provisions of this Act. Provides for Federal and State write-in absentee ballots for overseas voters. Declares balloting materials under this Act free of postage. Establishes criminal and civil penalties for violations of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 9 June 1986
Declares that the Senate welcomes Colonel Ricardo Montero Duque to the United States and commends him for the sacrifices he has made to further the cause of freedom in Cuba.
United States · United States Congress · 4 June 1986
Expresses the sense of the Senate that the 50-year-old tax exemption of the 84 nonprofit, community-based Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans be retained without modification.
United States · United States Congress · 3 June 1986
Encourages State and local governments and local educational agencies to require quality daily physical education programs for all children from kindergarten through grade 12.
United States · United States Congress · 21 May 1986
Expresses the gratitude of the Senate, on behalf of the American people, to Prime Minister Thatcher and the British Government and people for their support of U.S. actions against Libyan terrorism.
United States · United States Congress · 21 May 1986
POW/MIA Technical Meetings Initiative of 1986 - Requires the United States to continue to: (1) try to have certain technical meetings with Vietnamese officials resumed; and (2) underscore the importance of pursuing resolution of the POW/MIA issue, apart from all other issues.
United States · United States Congress · 21 May 1986
Calls upon Vietnam to permit the: (1) resumption of the processing of approved applicants for resettlement in the United States; and (2) departure of certain prisoners, Amerasian children, and other persons of special humanitarian concern to the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 15 May 1986
Repeals provisions of the Department of Defense Authorization Act, 1985 which: (1) provide a remedy against the United States for loss of property, personal injury, or death due to exposure to radiation based on acts or omissions by a contractor conducting atomic weapons tests under a contract with the United States; and (2) preclude any other civil action by individuals against a contractor for the purpose of determining civil liability from acts or omissions of such contractor. Makes the period during which such provision was in effect inapplicable for purposes of the tolling of any statute of limitations for claims.
United States · United States Congress · 14 May 1986
Cost-of-Living-Adjustment-Reform Act of 1986 - Amends title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) of the Social Security Act to replace the requirement that there be at least a three-percent rise in the Consumer Price Index before a cost-of-living adjustment of benefits is made with a requirement that such an adjustment be made whenever the cost of living increase is greater than zero.
United States · United States Congress · 13 May 1986
Veterans' Health Care Programs Improvements Act of 1986 - Amends Federal veterans' benefits provisions to authorize the Administrator of Veterans Affairs to furnish respite care to eligible veterans. Defines "respite care." Directs the Administrator, no later than 180 days after the enactment of this Act, to report to the Senate and House Veterans' Affairs Committees concerning the provision of such respite care. Authorizes the Administrator to contract to furnish hospital-based home care to a veteran, when medically appropriate, in lieu of furnishing hospital care or nursing home care to such veteran. Authorizes the Administrator to contract to provide certain described services to veterans unable to perform a necessary act of daily living, but who do not require continual nursing home care as determined by the Administrator. Outlines a priority order for the furnishing of such services to veterans. Limits the total amount to be paid for such services to 60 percent of the cost of providing such veterans with nursing home care. Authorizes the Administrator to contract for care and treatment and rehabilitative services in halfway houses, therapeutic communities, psychiatric residential treatment centers, and other community-based treatment facilities for the care of eligible veterans suffering from chronic mental illness disabilities. Requires the Administrator to approve the quality and effectiveness of such program before entering into a contract for such care. Requires the Administrator to designate a Veterans Administration (VA) employee to provide case management services for each veteran provided care and services under this provision. Authorizes the Administrator to contract to provide in-kind assistance under this provision. Requires the VA to receive full reimbursement from the contract facility for any such in-kind assistance provided. Directs the Administrator, no later than one year after the enactment of this Act, to report to the Senate and House Veterans' Affairs Committees concerning the provision of such services. Provides the authority to waive a specified licensing requirement for certain VA psychologists. Provides for the inclusion of beds for domiciliary care in the determination of the total number of beds required by the VA for the care of veterans. Requires the Administrator to determine the priority in the making of grants to States for State veterans' homes construction projects. Directs the Administrator, within 180 days after the enactment of this Act, to: (1) develop criteria for determining such priority; and (2) report on such priority and its implementation to the Senate and House Veterans' Affairs Committees. Requires the Administrator to establish and maintain a record to be known as the Ionizing Radiation Registry containing hospital histories and medical data of each veteran exposed to ionizing radiation. Requires the Administrator to establish the Registry not later than 180 days after the enactment of this Act. Requires certain other follow-up reports concerning such Registry.
United States · United States Congress · 8 May 1986
Veterans' Compensation and Benefits Improvements Act of 1986 - Title I: Disability Compensation and Dependency and Indemnity Compensation Rate Increases - Amends Federal law to increase the rates of: (1) veterans' disability compensation; (2) additional compensation for dependents; (3) the clothing allowance for certain disabled veterans; (4) dependency and indemnity compensation for surviving spouses and for children; and (5) supplemental dependency and indemnity compensation for children. Requires the Administrator of Veterans Affairs to provide alternative rates of increases for such compensation if the percentage of increase for benefits under title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) of the Social Security Act is not 3.4 percent. Requires the Administrator to publish any alternative rate increases in the Federal Register. Title II: Improvement in the Administration of the Veterans' Home Loan Guaranty Program - Amends Federal law relating to foreclosure of veterans' home loans to prohibit the Administrator from accepting conveyance of a property from the holder of a defaulted loan unless the Administrator is likely to be able to sell such property within one year for a price which would be economically advantageous to the United States. Title III: Improvements in Other Veterans' Programs - Authorizes the Administrator to collect certain debts owed to the Veterans Administration (VA) by veterans through offset of compensation or pension payable to such veterans under laws administered by the VA. Authorizes the Administrator, in certain instances, to require the disclosure of financial information by Federal fiduciaries of veterans or their minors or incompetents. Authorizes the Administrator to undertake the construction, alteration, and acquisition of adequate parking facilities at VA medical facilities and establish fees for the use of such parking facilities. Prohibits a fee from being charged for the accommodation of any vehicle used to transport a veteran to or from any medical facility for examination or treatment. Authorizes appropriations for the construction, operation, and maintenance of such parking facilities. Requires such authorized appropriations and any parking fees collected to be placed in a revolving fund. Prohibits funds other than funds from the revolving fund from being used to construct, alter, or acquire a parking facility at a medical facility after September 30, 1986. Authorizes the waiver of congressional notice-and-wait requirements before allowing the administrative reorganization of certain VA activities. Specifies the reorganization included in such waiver.
United States · United States Congress · 6 May 1986
Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1986 - Authorizes appropriations out of the Highway Trust Fund (other than the Mass Transit Account) for FY 1987 through 1990 for: (1) the Federal-aid Interstate-Primary program; (2) the Federal-aid Urban system; (3) the Federal-aid Secondary system; (4) bridge replacement and rehabilitation; (5) the Federal lands highway program; (6) the territorial highway program for the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas; (7) highway safety construction programs; (8) highway safety research and development; (9) certain hazards elimination projects; and (10) hazards elimination projects regarding railway-highway crossings. Makes highway construction projects on any public road serving the area of a withdrawn Interstate route eligible as highway substitution projects. Authorizes the Secretary of Transportation (the Secretary) to approve until September 30, 1986, the withdrawal of any route which was under judicial injunction prohibiting its construction as of November 6, 1978. Makes substitution funds available in a State for two years. Authorizes appropriations for highway substitution projects for FY 1987 through 1990. Authorizes the Secretary to adjust in September 1986 and every subsequent September the last approved Interstate Substitute Cost Estimate to make apportionments for: (1) substitute highway projects; and (2) substitute transit projects. Directs the Secretary to reserve in a State's account until a disposition decision has been reached an amount equal to the Federal funds expended to purchase a right-of-way for a withdrawn Interstate route if the State has not disposed of such right-of-way upon the date of enactment of this Act. Directs the Secretary to set aside funds from specified authorizations for the Strategic Highway Research Program. Sets forth apportionment guidelines for FY 1987 through 1990 for: (1) the Federal-aid Interstate-Primary Program; (2) the Federal-aid Secondary System; and (3) the Federal-aid Urban System. Authorizes a State to transfer up to 50 percent of its apportionment between the Urban and Secondary Systems. Requires the approval of the affected local area officials before a State may transfer the allocations for an urbanized area of 200,000 or more population. Authorizes the Secretary to waive competitive bidding on a reconstruction contract in an emergency situation. Makes available for obligation for four years the sums apportioned for: (1) the Interstate Federal-aid Interstate-Primary Program; (2) the Federal-aid Secondary system; (3) the Federal aid Urban system; and (4) bridge replacement and rehabilitation. Declares that apportioned amounts remaining unobligated at the end of four years shall lapse (except for the bridge rehabilitation apportionments, which shall be allocated by the Secretary as bridge discretionary funds). Prohibits the Secretary from reducing more than ten percent of a State's apportioned funds for its failure to: (1) adequately maintain the Interstate system; or (2) certify a maintenance program. Prohibits the Federal share payable for the Primary system (other than the Interstate system) from exceeding 75 percent of construction costs. Allows certain Interstate routes to be improved at a 90 percent Federal share. States that the Federal share payable for a highway emergency relief project may be 100 percent for emergency repairs accomplished in the first 30 days after an occurrence. Authorizes Federal funds to reimburse State costs for the relocation of utility facilities necessitated by a highway construction project, or by a State's highway safety improvement program. Authorizes the expenditure of Federal emergency relief funds for: (1) the Virgin Islands; (2) Guam; (3) American Samoa; and (4) the Northern Mariana Islands. Sets a $5,000,000 obligation ceiling upon such funds during any fiscal year. Revises the penalty provisions regarding violations of vehicle weight limitations on the Interstate System to provide that withheld funds will not lapse if they are subsequently released and obligated within the normal four-year availability period. Precludes Federal funding out of the Highway Trust Fund for State toll facilities which have not been certified by State officials as: (1) being adequately maintained; and (2) having an operator able to fund inadequately-maintained facilities without the use of Federal-aid highway funds. Requires each State to survey and identify all highway-railroad crossings needing separation, relocation, or protective devices. Requires that half of all authorized funds for such crossings be made available for installing protective devices. Requires each State to report annually to the Secretary and the Secretary to report annually to specified congressional committees on program progress. Makes certain sums available for obligation for the Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP). Authorizes the Secretary to implement the SHRP in cooperation with State highway departments. Directs the Secretary to set standards for the use of funds to conduct research, development, and technology transfer activities determined to be strategically important to the national highway transportation system. Authorizes the Secretary to provide grants to and enter into cooperative agreements with State highway departments or the National Academy of Sciences to conduct such activities. Requires the Secretary to report annually to certain congressional committees regarding the progress and research findings of the SHRP. Credits certain State-financed off-system bridge replacement and rehabilitation projects towards the non-Federal share of the cost of other Federal-aid bridge projects. Declares ineligible for Federal reimbursement State or local taxes which are based upon the amount of a federally-assisted contract or which are assessed upon construction materials to be incorporated into a federally-assisted project. Directs the Secretary to make a minimum allocation among the States so that a State's percentage of total apportionments shall be at least 85 percent of the percentage of estimated tax payments attributable to highway users in such State paid into the Highway Trust Fund. Adds total allocations as well as apportionments to the calculation of the 85 percent minimum funds. (Currently only apportioned programs are considered in the minimum allocation calculation.) Establishes the Federal-aid Interstate-Primary Program to bring all elements of the primary system up to certain Federal standards. Declares that such program shall consist of projects for the construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation, restoration, and resurfacing or improvement of the primary system and the Interstate system. Requires the Secretary to give priority consideration to: (1) completion of essential gaps on the Interstate System; and (2) rehabilitation of existing highway facilities. Directs States to use for Federal-aid highway projects the net income received from the use, sale, or lease of right-of-way airspace acquired as a result of certain Federal highway programs. Requires the designation of a territorial Federal-aid highway system in each territory. Permits States to use Federal-aid highway funds earmarked for highway substitute projects for bicycle projects. Authorizes States to use one and one-half percent of apportioned Interstate Highway Transfer funds for highway planning and research facilities. Decreases from one-half of one percent to one-quarter of one percent the National Highway Institute funds available for expenditure by a State highway department for the education and training of State and local highway department employees. Requires the Secretary (who currently is merely authorized) to provide education and training of highway employees at no cost to State and local governments for those subject areas which are a Federal program responsibility. Outlines the conditions under which real property may be donated by a person to a State or Federal agency. Provides for: (1) crediting the fair market value of private right-of-way donations for highway projects to the State matching share when such donations are made to the State; and (2) revesting such property to the donor if it is not required after environmental assessments. States that the fair market value of lands donated to the State of California for a State Route 73 relocation and construction project in Orange County shall first be credited toward payment of the non-Federal share of such project cost. Prohibits the disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act or admission as evidence in certain actions for damages of State documents regarding safety enhancement of potential accident sites, road conditions, or rail-highway crossings. Makes "Buy American" provisions applicable to projects whose total costs exceed $500,000. Amends the General Bridge Act of 1906 to repeal Federal regulatory authority over bridge tolls. Directs the Secretary to allocate among the States from the Mass Transit Account of the Highway Trust Fund amounts sufficient to insure that each State's percentage of total allocations from such Account is not less than 85 percent of the percentage of estimated tax payments attributable to highway users in that State paid into the Mass Transit Account in the latest fiscal year for which data are available. Requires States to expend a minimum of ten percent of Federal-aid highway contracts with small businesses owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals. Prescribes guidelines for a disadvantaged business enterprise program. Releases the State of Maryland from accepting title to any road or portion thereof (such as the Baltimore-Washington Parkway) in return for Federal participation in improvements to such Parkway. Authorizes appropriations for the upgrading of certain highways in the vicinity of the Waste Isolation Pilot Project (a nuclear waste storage repository in New Mexico). Sets forth obligation limitations for Federal-aid highways and highway safety construction programs for FY 1987 through 1990. Makes eligible for Federal-aid bridge funds costs incurred to mitigate harm to an historic bridge if the bridge remains part of the highway system. Requires States to identify historic bridges on the National Bridge Inventory. Requires the Transportation Research Board to review historic bridges and develop rehabilitation standards for such bridges. Sets forth allocation guidelines for forest highways for FY 1987 through 1990. Directs the Secretary to require the planting of native wildflowers for landscaping and scenic enhancement of Federal-aid highways. Directs the Secretary to conduct a Combined Road Program Demonstration to test the feasibility of approaches for combining, streamlining, and increasing the flexibility in the administration of the Federal-aid secondary, Federal-aid urban and off-system urban and secondary bridge programs. Makes the State of California eligible for Federal-aid emergency relief funds for the total amount of the 1986 California flood disaster. Makes certain unobligated balances available for specified projects.
United States · United States Congress · 6 May 1986
Amends Federal law to establish an increased veterans' home loan guaranty limitation amount of $30,900,000,000 reduced by 4.3 percent for purposes of implementing any sequestration order issued by the President for FY 1986 calling for a reduction of such loan commitments.
United States · United States Congress · 1 May 1986
Child Sexual Abuse and Pornography Act of 1986 - Amends the Federal criminal code with regard to the sexual exploitation of children. Makes it a Federal offense for any person to advertise: (1) any product depicting sexually explicit conduct with a minor; or (2) the opportunity to engage in such conduct with a minor. Amends the Mann Act to include the transportation of males within its coverage and makes other changes so that the offense is gender neutral.
United States · United States Congress · 29 April 1986
Amends Federal law to establish an increased veterans' home loan guaranty limitation amount of $30,900,000,000 reduced by 4.3 percent for purposes of implementing any sequestration order issued by the President for FY 1986 calling for a reduction of such loan commitments.
United States · United States Congress · 24 April 1986
Authorizes the Francis Scott Key Park Foundation to erect a memorial on public grounds in the District of Columbia in honor of Francis Scott Key, the author of the words to the National Anthem. Directs the Secretary of the Interior, with the approval of the National Commission of Fine Arts and the National Capital Planning Commission, to select the site for the memorial. Prohibits the use of either Federal or District of Columbia funds to establish the memorial. Terminates the authority created by this Act if construction of the memorial does not begin within five years with funds sufficient to ensure its completion.
United States · United States Congress · 16 April 1986
Designates May 21, 1986, as Andrei Sakharov Honor and Freedom Day. Requests the President to mark such day with an appeal to the Soviet leader for Doctor Sakharov's release. Provides for the relocation of the "Andrei Sakharov Plaza" street sign to an area adjacent to the Soviet Embassy in the District of Columbia.
United States · United States Congress · 15 April 1986
Expresses the Senate's respect and gratitude to Warren Magnuson for his tireless and successful efforts to promote the conservation and management of our marine fisheries and provide our commercial and recreational fishing industry with the benefits of those resources.
United States · United States Congress · 9 April 1986
Prohibits the issuance of a letter of offer with respect to specified proposed sales of Sidewinder, Stinger, and Harpoon missiles and services to Saudi Arabia, as described in the April 8, 1986, certifications from the President to the Congress under the Arms Export Control Act.
United States · United States Congress · 27 March 1986
National Forest Ski Area Permit Act of 1986 - Authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to issue permits for the use and occupancy of National Forest System lands for commercial skiing operations. Requires existing permits to conform to the new system.
United States · United States Congress · 12 March 1986
Amends Federal veterans' benefits provisions to exempt from any sequestration of funds under the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act) certain benefits which are based upon the service-connected disability or death of such veterans.
United States · United States Congress · 12 March 1986
Urges the President with respect to the Ethiopian Government's resettlement program to consider: (1) prohibiting the importation of Ethiopian goods and services; (2) removing Ethiopia's generalized system of preferences and most-favored-nation trade status; (3) forbidding U.S. businesses from extending loans to or making investments in the Ethiopian Government; and (4) instructing U.S. representatives to international lending institutions to vote against furnishing assistance to Ethiopia. Expresses the sense of the Congress that the President should: (1) call upon the United Nations and other donors to monitor all resettlement efforts in Ethiopia to ensure that coercion is not used; (2) request the Ethiopian Government to place a moratorium on relocations that may cause suffering or death and on relocations of persons who are sympathetic to anti-Government rebels; (3) request that the Ethiopian Government commit sufficient resources to existing resettlement camps; (4) insist that international observers be given access to all resettlement camps; and (5) ensure that the United States continues to raise this issue in every appropriate international forum, including the United Nations. Requests the Assistant Secretary of State for Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs to transmit, within 30 days, to the Congress a report indicating the number of Ethiopians who have died as a result of the resettlement program and to transmit a copy of this Act to specified individuals.
United States · United States Congress · 11 March 1986
Amends the Federal veterans' benefits provisions to require any non-Federal provider of hospital services to any Medicare beneficiary to also accept Veterans Administration (VA) beneficiaries on a similar basis, and to accept payments from the VA as payments in full. Requires the Administrator of Veterans Affairs to report to the Secretary of Health and Human Services any noncompliance with health care provision agreements by such a non-Federal provider. Authorizes the Secretary to then terminate such agreement after a finding of noncompliance.
United States · United States Congress · 11 March 1986
Removes the requirement that the moneys received by the Administrator of Veterans Affairs for the use of Veterans Administration garage and parking facilities be administered as a revolving fund.
![Official portrait of Sen. Murkowski, Frank H. [R-AK]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/m001085_200.jpg)